People have been reluctant to give their views on how mental health services in the midlands could be improved, according to the Midlands Mental Health Services Board.
The board is drawing up a five-year plan for the services and last month urged the public to make its views known.
However, by Tuesday of this week only one public submission had been received, according to Mr Richard Walsh, general mental health services manager.
"It's a reflection of attitudes to mental health and illness," he says. "It's not an issue that people think about unless they are directly affected by it. Then they have to think about it."
Up to now development of mental health services has been largely influenced by a national policy prepared in 1984.
The new strategy will try to provide best practice in the delivery of psychiatric services.
It will address areas such as suicide prevention, substance misuse and the promotion of mental health.
Ms Deirdre Carroll, general secretary of the National Association of Mentally Handicapped in Ireland (NAMHI), says her group would like to see the problem of inappropriate placements addressed by the strategy.
She says there were still instances where people with an intellectual disability are placed in psychiatric institutions.
The most recent report of the inspector of mental hospitals in 2000 found that nine people with an intellectual disability had been placed in St Loman's psychiatric hospital in Mullingar.
Some 71 people had been redesignated to Lough Sheever Centre, an intellectual disability facility adjacent to St Loman's.
She says this is an improvement, but the patients still should not be housed in a building which is part of a psychiatric facility.
According to NAMHI, people with an intellectual disability should be moved into a community setting or a more appropriate situation.
Submissions on improving mental health services in the midlands should be made to Ms Bernie Lalor, Mental Health Services, Colbert House, O'Moore Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly.